Convenience outlet



Oct. 25, 1932. RADACK 1,884,219

CONVENI ENCE OUTLET Filed May 14. 1931 INVENTOR a ar/07B W16 50 M 3 5 22 ATTORNEY i object;

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HAIRY EDBIDACK, OF NEW YORK,- NLJY.

CONVENIENCE OUTLET A p ication fled ma 14, 193.1. Serial No. 537,333.

This invention-relates to new and useful electrical outlets, commonly known as convenience outlets in general, and particularly 7 to an electrical device adapted to receive the prongs or bl'adesof what isknownas an elec trio plug or connector.

The object ofmy' invention is to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive ar ticle of this kind which has the rked ad- 1 vantages of consisting of'two distinct membersadapted to be normally in spring or map contact with eachother, thereby not 'facil itating the attachment of the articledesired object, but also enabling a is quick-and unrestricted connection with the device of electric conduits leading theretoand.

Another my invention is to prowide in connection my device meansfor 2t guiding and restricting themovement' of the spring-contact members of the article when in use,.-i'. e, themovement of the; spring contact members is caused the: insertion H of'the gsor-blades ofaconnedor.

Anotherobject of myinvention is to provide an article of this kind cm-isisting of what-maybe termed as: a "base member and a cover "member so arranged as to enable the p mrrestric'ted attachment of the base member when the cover is removed, or to providethe associstion of the two members together in the event the hose memher is not intended to be mttac'hed'to an foiegoingimd fustheriohjeets will be more hilly apparent fromthe lfolzliowing deand. the drawing forming part of my disclosure, but by no menus intended to limit same to the actual showing, and in which Figune .1 is a top view oithe "base member of my device. 1

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the base member and a cross sectional. view of the 4r cover member.

Figure '3' is a front elevation of my device, showing. the base member in, elevation while the cover member is shown in cross sectional view H Figure 4 is a top v'iew'of the cover member.

of my device.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view in I cross section of a preferred form of a part Figures 6, 7', and 8 represent illustrations of "ari-ous' types of spring contact members employed in my device.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view through my device including the. base and the cover members and r Figure 10 is a bottom view of my cover member in its preferred form.

Referring to the figuresynumeral 10 denotes the bottom rim of my .base'member from which projects upwardsa substantially annular extension 11 which is flattenedlon two sides as indicated at '12 while at right angles. .to the flattened sides there are provided wire receiving projections 13 equipped with grooves or' depressions 14 for accommodating Wire or cable leading into my device;

Projecting from the extension 11, there willibe seen a center portion 15 provided with a central opening 16. Adjacent to and formv ing a continuation of the flattened portions 12, there will be seen spring contact supports 17 to which are attached by means of binding screws 18 spring contact members 19.

These contact members are plainly illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, and they'con- 0 sist of fiat metal strips so shaped that their substantial middle portion rests upon seats 17, while their upper portions 19 extend beyond the seat and are turned upon themv selves so as to form substantial V-shapes. 3 Their lower ends 19 extend downwardly and are curved in a special formso as to comprise snap means, the function of whic will be explained presently.

In Figures 1, 2, and 4, it will be seen that 9 seat portions 17 are provided with retaining ribs 1'7 intended for preventing "the shifting of spring members 19 in their seats.

Adapted to practically completely cover the entire base member and particularly the 5 spring contacts, there is providedfa cover member indicated at 20, and clearly shown in both cross section views in Figures 2, 3, and 9, and in top and bottom views of Figures 4 and 10. 100

The cover member comprises substantially a hollow annular shell which is provided with two slots indicated at 21, and clearly seen in Figure 10, which slots are adapted to engage cable rests 13, whereby the cover member is prevented from leavingits predetermined position. At right angles to slots 21, there are provided flattened enlargements 22 which are provided with internal and peripheral recesses 23 which are especially arranged for interlocking with snap arrangements 19 extending from seat portions 17 of the base member.

The inner portion of the cover member 20 is practically hollow except for a central ridge shown. clearly in Figure 10 at. 24. In that ridge, there are provided spring contact recesses 25 which are equipped with inclined ridges or walls 26, which are adapted to gether with the rest of the recess arrangements to not only guide the spring contact members, but also limit their movements when the prongs or blades of an electric connector is brought to bear against the contacts.

Forming a continuation of recesses 25 are two blade receiving holes 27 provided in the cover member, and their outer approach is beveled, as clearly shown in Figure 4 at 28.

In the solid center portion 24 of the cover member there is provided a central recess 29 which may be either threaded or plain and which serves .for receiving an attaching screw adapted to pass through hole 16 of the base member, and permanently connect the base member to the cover member when the former is not intended to be attached to an object.

Ordinarily, the two members are in snap engagement with each other, and the base member is usually attached to the wall or any other object by passing through hole 16 a wood screw whereby the base member is secured.

The arrangement of connecting the base member together with the cover member by means of a screw 30 is clearly shown in Figure 9. In this case, the base member rests upon an object without being itself attached thereto.

In Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6, I have shown contact members made of a continuous strip of resilient material with the upper end portion bent upon itself towards the center of the base member. Also, the snap arrangement 19 is shown to be made of one piece with the spring contact member. In Figure 7, however, there will be seen that the bentover top portion of the spring member is turned outwards while in Figure 8, the contact member consists of a portion marked 31 which is riveted together at 32 to a snap portion 33.

From the foregoing, it is evidentthat various arrangements may be made in developing the contact and snap members depending upon the advantages derived from their respective arrangements. Thus, for instance, an arrangement shown in Figure 7 will allow the construction of my device to become smaller in diameter, as compared with spring contact arrangements shown in Figure 6.

Similarly, the attachment of the spring contacts to the base member may be altered so as to reduce the cost of manufacture and minimize the labor and material required.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated a binding screw 34 which engages a metal insert 35 imbedded in the material of the base member 1.0. Nevertheless, it is quite proper and effective to use binding screws directly in the material of the base member, is shown, for instance, in Figure 2.

\Vhile I have found it expedient to use for the snap arrangement between the two members the extension of the spring contact, be it understood that any other arrangements may be provided to fulfill the function of providing a snap contact between the base and the cover members.

From the foregoing, it becomes evident that a great many modifications and changes may be made in my device without departing from the broad scope of my invention, and I, therefore, reserve for myself, the right to make such changes or alterations in my in vention for which I claim:

1. In a convenience outlet, the combination with an attachable base member, of a removable cover member associated therewith, said base member provided with supporting means for spring contact members and means for providing a snap engagement with said cover member, an aperture provided in said base member accommodating an attachingscrew or the like, a pair of spring contact members associated with said sup porting means of the base member and attached to the former, said cover member comprising a substantially closed cap having two apertures for accommodating prongs of an electric plug or connector adapted to engage said spring contact members, a central recess provided in the body of said cover member for accommodating a screw for holding the base member permanently together with the cover member, when the latter is not attached to any object, a pair of recesses provided symmetrically within the cover member for accommodating and permitting, yet limiting the movement of said contact members, and means for accommodating and engaging said snap engagement means of said base member.

2. In a convenience outlet, a base member, a pair of spring contacts symmetrically arranged and attached to said base member, an aperture centrally provided in said base member, a pair of spring snap members associated with said base member, a cover member adapted to register with and engage said base member and substantially cover the latter, a pair of recesses provided in said cover member, corresponding with and adapted to engage and further adapted to be engaged by said spring snap members, a central recess,

provided in the body of said cover member and aligned with the central aperture provided in said base member, the latter aperture serving for receiving either attaching means, whereby the base member may be secured to an object, or for means adapted to engage said cover member, when said base member 15 not to be attached to an ob ect, a pan of elongated apertures provlded at the upper face of said cover member and adapted to register with said spring contacts of the base member and further adapted to receive prongs of an electric connector or plug, a pair of recesses provided within the body of said cover member for accommodating said spring contacts, said recesses having inclined ridges for guiding and limiting the movement of said spring contacts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY E. RADACK. 

